


what i won't do for love

by nappeuns



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Canon-Typical Violence, Commoner Hyunjin, Developing Relationship, Kinda?, M/M, Prince Seungmin, no one dies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-18
Updated: 2019-10-18
Packaged: 2020-12-21 13:34:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21075719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nappeuns/pseuds/nappeuns
Summary: "He's certainly talented," Seungmin commented, leaning a bit to forward so he could whisper to his cousin. The young man had already won two rounds, and was shaping up to win his third, if the way he was fighting now kept up. His eyes followed the lithe body as he moved across the arena, swinging his sword like it weighed nothing yet striking hard enough that the clang of it hitting his opponent’s rung in Seungmin’s ears. "That one there, the commoner.""He is impressive, isn't he?" Jisung replied, grinning excitedly as he glanced back at the prince. "He’s the son of one of the blacksmiths in the kingdom. I hope he wins. I heard his name is Hwang Hyunjin."





	what i won't do for love

**Author's Note:**

> written for the first round of skz post office using prompt #98: Every 10 years a royal tournament takes place, where knights and warriors from the whole kingdom gather in the capital to fight and evict a champion, the royal family themselves a part of the audience. The winner has the right to make one demand of the king. This time, an unknown commoner wins, and their desire is to marry the prince.
> 
> this is something completely different from what i'm used to writing, but i was so excited to take on this challenge! it's a little bit all over the place, and getting it together in the end was rough as all hell, but i'm so grateful that i managed to pull it off with help from my friends and the mod team. i hope that you enjoy reading it as much as i enjoyed writing it.

“Prince Seungmin,” a familiar voice called through the door of the dressing room. Seungmin could almost picture Woojin now, poised with perfect posture on the other side of the wood, Seungmin’s agenda for the day written out on a piece of parchment and tucked neatly into Woojin’s pocket. Not as if Woojin would need it, though-- his assistant always had Seungmin’s schedule memorized front to back, able to cart him from lesson to event to gala without any need for second-guessing or double-checking. It was one of the things Seungmin appreciated most about him. “Are you nearly ready? Your parents are looking for you.”

“Just a few more minutes!” Seungmin replied, raising his voice to be heard through the thick wood. He had no clue if it was actually going to be just a few more minutes-- getting dressed in traditional royal garbs for events like this always seemed to take forever, and Seungmin had always simply chatted with his assistants or lost himself in his thoughts instead of keeping an eye on the clock. Judging by the weight of the layers of cloth he was sporting, it seemed as if he was close to being ready, but he’d forgotten how many embellishments he needed to wear for a day such as this-- it only came once every ten years, after all. “Minho,” he said, looking over his shoulder at the dressing room assistant who was currently lacing up part of Seungmin’s outfit behind him. “How much longer until I’m ready?”

Minho hummed behind him, deft fingers working quickly with the ribbon and ties. “Less than ten minutes, your highness,” he replied after a moment, and Seungmin could feel him tightening a knot against his lower back. There was a shifting of fabric, then Minho’s hands smoothing along his spine, making sure the cloth covering the ties laid flat. As he moved to stand in front of Seungmin, grabbing various pieces of gold and jewels as accessories, Seungmin spotted Minho’s usual smirk. “I know you must be eager to return to your handsome assistant,” he commented coyly.

Seungmin let out a half sigh, half laugh. If his parents were around, there’s no way that him and Minho would be able to joke like this. Behind closed doors, however, Seungmin was more than happy to partake in Minho’s humour. The dressing room assistant was one of the few people around his age that Seungmin got to interact with, and although Minho had seen Seungmin in various states of undress multiple times daily over the years, there was never any awkwardness between them. “Not  _ that _ eager,” he replied, exasperated. “I’m not interested in Woojin. He’s too serious, sometimes.”

Minho’s eyebrow rose then, as he held out a hand for Seungmin. “Who  _ are _ you interested in, then?” he asked as Seungmin placed a hand in his, sliding several gold, jeweled rings onto Seungmin’s fingers. “You’re of age now, your highness. Surely you must be thinking about finding someone.”

Seungmin shrugged as best as he could underneath the heavy royal fabrics, swapping hands so Minho could slide more jewelry onto his other hand. “It’s not something I’ve taken much interest in,” he admitted honestly, looking down at the gems adorning his hand. “I’m sure my parents will choose someone suitable for me to marry, after all, so why bother troubling myself with it?”

Minho hummed pensively, raising his eyebrows. “How filial of you,” he said, in a tone that let Seungmin know he was teasing him despite his kind words. “It’s no wonder that everyone loves you. I could never be like that.” He straightened up, fixing up the final touches on Seungmin’s hair carefully before stepping away.

Seungmin chuckled, looking down at himself. “It’s a good thing you aren’t a prince, then,” he replied, taking a careful step to test the weight of his robes. It wasn’t as heavy as he had remembered, but then again, the weight of this much cloth would have been much more arduous on a nine year old then on a nineteen year old. He gave Minho a nod, smiling approvingly. “Thank you,” Seungmin replied softly, a habit he had picked up over the years. No matter how many times he was told that this was Minho’s job, that the workers in the palace were there for this purpose, he always wanted to express his thanks.

In his usual fashion, Minho just let out a small laugh and dropped his gaze, an expression Seungmin had become familiar with over the years. “It’s never any trouble,” he replied, helping Seungmin towards the door. He opened it for him, peeking his head out. “Woojin!” he called, the usual layer of formality he used around Seungmin stripped away. “Hurry up, you’ve got a job to do!”

“Stop yelling, I’m right here,” Woojin said from where he was standing, only a few steps down the hall from the door. He made his way over to Seungmin, giving Minho a tired look that was met with a snicker. “Are you ready, Prince Seungmin?” he asked, turning to look at Seungmin.

“That’s why he’s out here,” Minho replied amusedly, and Woojin sighed. Seungmin had to purse his lips together to hold back a laugh.

“Okay,” Woojin replied tiredly, giving a nod to Seungmin, which he returned. “Let’s go, then.” They bid Minho farewell, with Minho giving Seungmin a wink in return, before heading off down the halls of the castle.

The walk was mostly spent in silence, other than Woojin giving Seungmin a reminder of their itinerary for the day. It was something that Seungmin appreciated about Woojin; despite his job requiring him to hover around Seungmin most of the time, he always tried to give the prince some form of independence, whether it was letting the prince do things unassisted or giving Seungmin time with his own thoughts. Seungmin appreciated it in this case, as it allowed him to reminisce about the last time the tournament had happened, ten years ago to the day.

It was a tradition within their kingdom; every ten years, the king would host a tournament where all the best knights, weapons masters, or commoners who would like to try their luck could duel. The winner of the tournament could ask the king for one wish of theirs to be granted by the king. Seungmin didn’t remember what the last winner had asked for, just that his dad was stressed for the next several weeks about the cost of whatever the winner had asked for. Seungmin supposes that the mansion which had been built on the outskirts of the town a few months later had something to do with it. 

“Prince Seungmin,” Woojin said gently, snapping the prince out of his thoughts. Seungmin looked to find Woojin holding a door open for him, through which he could hear the voices of his parents, various other assistants, and, cutting high and loud above the rest, his cousin, Jisung. He didn’t know whether to be excited or exhausted when he heard his cousin’s voice— it must have shown on his face, as Woojin smiled as he watched him. “This way,” he added, then ducked his head in deference as Seungmin walked past him. 

Immediately, Jisung was in his face, bouncing with excitement and holding his hands out. His cousin knew better than to touch Seungmin, lest he dirty his robes— he was glad that, despite not being the crown prince like Seungmin was, his cousin’s royal training hadn’t gone completely to waste. As he shouted excitedly at Seungmin, however, the crown prince had a thought that maybe Jisung hadn’t been trained enough. 

“Seungminnie!” Jisung said eagerly, waving his hands to urge Seungmin to grab one. Seungmin sighed, placing a hand into Jisung’s delicately. Out of the corner of his eye, Seungmin saw his own father watching them with an amused yet exasperated smile. “I missed you so much! It’s been so long! Wow, you actually have shoulders now!”

Seungmin tried to hold back a laugh as Jisung leaned from side to side, sizing up the width of Seungmin’s shoulders. “I’ve always had shoulders, they’ve just gotten broader in the two years since I’ve last seen you,” he corrected, finally relenting and letting out a laugh when Jisung fired back with, “We get it, you’re handsome, no need to brag.”

Seungmin glanced away when he heard a cough next to him, finding his father looking over his shoulder. He tried his best to hold back another laugh at how quickly Jisung pulled himself into proper posture, schooling his face into something respectful and neutral. Seungmin would never understand how Jisung found his father so intimidating—he was only as tall as Seungmin was, with a kind face that Seungmin took several features from. Although, being faced with the king of their kingdom would be intimidating for most people. “I’m sorry to interrupt your joyous reunion,” he said amusedly, “but we must be starting the tournament soon. Are you boys ready?”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Jisung said immediately, his tone commanding and regal, and Seungmin had to clear his throat to cover his laugh as Jisung gestured to him politely, his long sleeve sweeping gracefully. “I was simply ensuring that the Crown Prince was adequately prepared. I trust his assistant, of course, but it never hurts to check again.”

Seungmin’s father, to his credit, continued to play along with Jisung’s antics, nodding understandingly. “Of course, Jisung, how noble of you,” he commended, and Jisung bowed in response to the praise. Seungmin was still trying his best not to laugh when his father turned to him, asking, “Are you prepared, Seungmin?”

“Very,” Seungmin responded with a smile. Although his father was a king, he hadn’t been too hardened by the role, and was still friendly to others as if he wasn’t royalty at all. It was one of the reasons why Seungmin respected him so much. “Jisung has done an excellent job.”

“Good to hear,” his father replied, nodding to the two boys. He began to make his way over to Seungmin’s mother, who was waiting by the door that would lead them out of the palace to the viewing area for the tournament. 

“Come now, then,” he urged, his long robes trailing behind him. “The kingdom is waiting.”

🜲🜲🜲

The sound of applause and cheers when Seungmin entered the viewing area was nearly deafening, the noise rumbling through the ground hard enough to shake his seat once he sat down. He hadn’t been under any illusions that he was unpopular with the public; on the contrary, he was fully aware of how much the kingdom loved him, the handsome, filial, treasured only son of the king and queen. This amount of noise, however, seemed unprecedented; although, it was his first public event after coming of age, and it made sense that the public was excited to see him.

“Seems like everyone is excited to see you,” Jisung remarked once the noise had died down and the entirety of their family had been seated, sitting a row down from him. Seungmin smiled at his cousin for just a moment, before turning his attention back to the arena the tournament would be held in, watching eagerly as the participants filed in. As expected, there was mostly knights from the royal guard participating— including the head of the royal guard himself, Bang Chan— along with some important figures from around the kingdom, members of powerful families. There were a few commoners in the mix, but Seungmin didn’t pay much attention to them. They wouldn’t last long enough in the tournament when they were up against such skilled fighters.

Seungmin paid attention as best as he could when his father made the opening announcements, nodding and applauding at the right times. He didn’t have to listen much to know what his father would be saying: thanking the public for their support, encouraging the participants, explaining the history and the importance of the tournament. Before Seungmin knew it, the tournament had begun, the metallic clanging of swords against shields ringing in Seungmin’s ears.

The first few matches weren’t terribly interesting— a couple of older knights that Seungmin hardly knew facing off against each other, a knight against a commoner, two young men that Seungmin recognized to be sons of more prominent families within the kingdom. As much as Seungmin valued tradition, this wasn’t a tradition that he had terribly strong or fond memories of; Seungmin had only been nine the last time this event had taken place, hardly old enough to remember it vividly, let alone truly understand the value behind it. He’d still support it, of course, for his parents’ sake and the kingdom’s, but it wasn’t something he was particularly interested in himself. It wasn’t until a commoner won against a member of the royal guard that Seungmin started paying attention in earnest.

He hadn’t struck Seungmin as anything particularly special— a young man who Seungmin initially thought would waste his blood on this tournament. He carried a sword and shield with him, sturdily crafted but heavy, yet had no armor. He couldn’t have been much older than Seungmin himself; however, the prince watched in amazement as the young man laid waste to one of their best guards, rendering him incapable in just a few minutes.

As Seungmin watched the man raise his sword in victory, thick black hair falling into his eyes, he heard his father laugh heartily behind him, his hands meeting each other in loud applause. “Seems like the boy has luck on his side,” he commented, clearly enjoying the turn of events. “I’m eager to see how he performs in later rounds.”

From then on, that commoner was the only one that Seungmin paid full attention to, his eyes tracking the tall, black haired boy whenever he was in the arena. He paid some attention to Chan’s matches, of course— regardless of his friendliness towards the young knight, Jisung made sure Seungmin paid attention with his rapid-fire commentary. It was no secret to anyone close to them that Jisung had always had a soft spot for the head of the royal guard, and he made it obvious with his whispers over his shoulder to Seungmin, encouraging Chan as he fought and cheering for him when he inevitably won. Other than Chan, though, the only one who caught Seungmin’s attention was the commoner, so much so that he eventually had to speak up.

"He's certainly talented," Seungmin commented, leaning a bit to forward so he could whisper to his cousin. The young man had already won two rounds, and was shaping up to win his third, if the way he was fighting now kept up. His eyes followed the lithe body as he moved across the arena, swinging his sword like it weighed nothing yet striking hard enough that the clang of it hitting his opponent’s rung in Seungmin’s ears. "That one there, the commoner."

"He is impressive, isn't he?" Jisung replied, grinning excitedly as he glanced back at the prince. "He’s the son of one of the blacksmiths in the kingdom. I hope he wins. I heard his name is Hwang Hyunjin."

“Hwang Hyunjin,” Seungmin murmured to himself as Hyunjin finally felled his opponent, visibly exhausted as he staggered back from his victory. Then, as if the boy had heard, Hyunjin looked up towards the viewing platform to stare right at Seungmin, his gaze intense and focused even as his chest heaved. Seungmin had to do his best not to flinch in response, keeping eye contact with Hyunjin just long enough to give him an approving nod before looking away to his father.

“Do you think this boy will win?” Seungmin asked his father, a bit unsettled. Something in Hyunjin’s gaze had shaken something inside him, leaving him with an uneasy feeling in his chest. Seungmin didn’t know what it was, just that he didn’t like it. “The commoner?”

His father hummed contemplatively, looking away as the arena was cleared out and the next two participants filed in. “He might have a chance,” his father admitted, then seemed to sense Seungmin’s unease and leaned over to speak to him directly. “If he does, it won’t be a problem,” he elaborated. “What more would a commoner want other than food or money?”

Seungmin swallowed, nervous, then looked back at the arena, though Hyunjin was already gone. “I suppose you’re right,” he agreed tentatively, then let his father resume paying attention when the next two challengers were ready.

To Seungmin’s (and arguably, the rest of the kingdom’s) surprise, Hyunjin continued to win, making it all the way to the final round, up against Chan. It was clear by the crowd’s reaction who the favoured fighter was— the cheers when Chan entered the arena were raucous, the well-respected knight giving a grin and waving to the crowds which had been eagerly watching the event. Hyunjin received his fair share as well, likely those who were keen on supporting the underdog, but it paled in comparison to the welcome Chan had received. Jisung seemed smug at the divide, giving Seungmin a wink over his shoulder.

“Looks like this is where the commoner’s luck will run out,” he remarked to Seungmin. The prince couldn’t tell if he was happy or sad to hear that. “There’s no way to win against Chan.”

Several minutes later, Jisung’s smug expression had morphed to that of shock as he watched Chan drop to his knees, sword falling out of his bloodied hand as he surrendered to Hyunjin. The younger man wasn’t unscathed himself; Chan had caught him a few times, smaller cuts here and there from when he hadn’t been able to dodge the knight’s sword fast enough, along with a deeper, bloody gash on the outside of his thigh. But Hyunjin had landed enough hits for Chan to be wounded and exhausted to the point of surrender— likely because he knew if he carried on much longer, Hyunjin would take his life.

Seungmin couldn’t tell if he was upset or relieved at the surprising turn, though that uncomfortable coil in his chest did release slightly when Chan surrendered. Whether it was because he was glad that his friend would live or because Hyunjin had won, he wasn’t sure. However, it tightened again when Hyunjin looked up at him once more, his gaze even more intense with the blood splattered across his skin.

“My wish,” he announced, with his words slightly slurred yet his voice strong and booming, “is to marry the Crown Prince.”

The words felt like cold water down Seungmin’s spine. The prince wasn’t one who was usually emotional or shocked— years of training had helped with keeping a level head, both on the outside and inside— yet Hyunjin’s words rattled him to his core. Distantly, he noticed Jisung turning to look at him, his wide eyes having grown even wider at the words. All eyes were on him, yet all Seungmin could do was look at his father.

It was as if his father stood in slow motion, his robes settling around him neatly. At that moment, he no longer looked like the father that had raised Seungmin lovingly, nurturing all of Seungmin’s interests yet always reminding him of his role as a prince. Now, he looked like a king, cold, regal and distant as he spoke.

“Congratulations, Hwang Hyunjin,” his father said, voice booming throughout the arena. “Your wish will be granted.”

🜲🜲🜲

Seungmin knew better than to get upset in front of an audience. It was unbecoming of him as a prince; people would question his training, his suitability to lead the kingdom, his parents’ ability to discipline wrongdoings. Seungmin knew better, and he always managed to keep his emotions in check, maintaining the pristine image of the filial, respectful crown prince. And yet, when his father had agreed to Hyunjin’s wish, Seungmin had been blinded by the betrayal he felt, which is why he found himself hidden away in his bedroom, hot tears streaking down his face, as Woojin tried to respectfully talk his father out of breaking down the door.

It wasn’t that he was upset about being married. He’d known the day would come soon, as he was now of age, and he had faith his parents would pick someone suitable for him. Seungmin was committed to the kingdom— he understood from a young age that love wouldn’t be an option for him, and that was fine. 

“But this?” Seungmin told his father later, once most of his tears had dried and his father had made it past Woojin to enter his room. “Giving me to some boy from the street, just because he asked? Am I worth nothing?”

“I know,” Seungmin’s father assuaged. His mother hovered nervously behind him, covering her mouth with her sleeve. “I know, Seungmin, but I cannot go back on my word.”

Seungmin let out a hollow laugh, dropping his head into his hands. “So that’s it then,” he said, voice bitter. “I’ve just been given to some boy because he was lucky, like a prize to be won, not like a person with any sort of importance.”

Seungmin’s father seemed to deflate a bit at his son’s words, and he sighed, leaning to get closer to Seungmin. “You are important,” he assured, “and we will fix this. It isn’t what should have happened, and I can’t go back on my word right now, but I can assure you that we will fix this. For our kingdom, yes?”

Seungmin hesitated, then nodded, trying to wipe the tears off his face gracefully. “For our kingdom,” he echoed, and the king hummed approvingly.

“But for now,” his father added, straightening up slightly, “you will need to at least entertain this boy for a while. The boy likely has some romantic idea about what life is like in the palace and wants to experience the prestige and power that comes with being part of the royal family.” His father let out a sound that was almost a scoff then, and it was so uncharacteristic of the king that Seungmin looked up in shock.

“Once the boy sees the pressure and hard work that comes with leading a kingdom, he might change his wish,” his father elaborated confidently. He sounded so certain, as if this was exactly what was going to happen— although his father would likely be able to make it happen. He was the king, after all. “Being royalty isn’t easy, and it will be hard for someone like him to learn. Commoners are simple people, after all— he may just be after the luxury.”

Seungmin wasn’t entirely sold on his father’s idea. What use did a crown prince have for the company of a commoner he had never met? What would he talk about with someone from such a completely different world than him? If Hyunjin was just after luxury or power, then why didn’t he just ask for status or money, then? Why did he want to marry Seungmin specifically? What if he had ill-intentions? Still, though, there was nothing Seungmin could do other than agree— so he did, reluctantly so, and his father smiled.

“That’s the behaviour of the prince I know,” he commented, looking the part of a king while still treating Seungmin like his son. He turned to head towards the door, and Seungmin hurried to bow towards him. “I’m proud of you.”

For a while, Seungmin was left to his own devices, contemplating his thoughts during the rare moment of silence and isolation in his room. It was only for a few minutes, though— soon enough, there was a knock at the door, and Seungmin called whoever was on the other side in. The door opened to reveal Woojin, smiling softly, with a tray of tea in his hands.

“I thought you might like some tea,” Woojin offered as he entered, and Seungmin nodded, moving to the low table in the centre of the room. Woojin began to prepare the tea in silence, Seungmin watching his attendant’s movements and getting lost in his thoughts. He appreciated Woojin thinking to bring him tea without Seungmin having to ask, his attendant knowing that Seungmin favoured tea when he was struggling. He also appreciated Woojin not saying anything about the prince’s own emotionality— it wasn’t something he showed often, and Woojin’s own calmness usually helped Seungmin keep himself grounded.

Woojin let him drink in silence for a while, then cleared his throat uncertainly, his own cup of tea gripped tightly in his hand. “If I may speak out of turn,” he began, looking at Seungmin with something that almost seemed like pity, “I think this is a terrible decision as well.”

Seungmin let out a laugh, not quite as hollow as the one he had shown to his father but still empty and tired. “You don’t have to worry about speaking out of turn with me,” he assured Woojin, smiling wryly, “but I appreciate your insight.”

Woojin smiled a bit, pouring more tea for Seungmin. Seungmin almost wished that he had fallen for Woojin, insisted on marrying him instead— surely it would have been a more welcome fate than this. “The rest of the kingdom also seems to agree,” he added, setting the teapot down gracefully. “I wasn’t able to hear much, but the rest of the staff in the castle has been talking. ‘How can our king waste the beloved Crown Prince on a commoner’, ‘How will our kingdom ever prosper now’, things such as that.” He tucked his hands in his lap gracefully, eyes lowered in respect.

“I think you don’t have much to worry about,” he concluded calmly, and Seungmin felt a weight lift off his shoulders. Woojin was someone he trusted the most; he had a self-assurance about his words that comforted Seungmin in a way that no one else could. “I doubt that this will last very long.”

Seungmin sipped his tea slowly, humming as he contemplated Woojin’s words. “I trust your judgement,” he replied after a moment, smiling at Woojin over the rim of his tea cup, then grinning when his attendant smiled back.

🜲🜲🜲

Hyunjin was handsome. Disconcertingly so, for someone who grew up as a commoner, working in a blacksmith shop once he’d become of age. Yes, his hands were tough, leathered from the metal and the heat, and his lean musculature spoke to someone who was more active than Seungmin had ever been, but he was handsome. His eyes were dark and narrow, his lips full and nose small. If he had been a prince, Seungmin may have been intimidated.

But as it stood, Hyunjin wasn’t a prince. He was a blacksmith’s son, unrefined and unruly, and it showed as he carried his small bundle of possessions into the palace for the first time, looking around in childlike wonder. Seungmin watched him with the same feeling he had when watching Jisung at times— a tinge of amusement, but mostly incredible embarrassment.

They hadn’t been married yet, thankfully. His father, in a stroke of genius, had invited Hyunjin to stay at the palace for a month, under the excuse of giving the future couple a chance to get to know each other while the rest of the kingdom prepared for the wedding. “It’s not every day that someone marries the Crown Prince,” he had remarked, convincing Hyunjin easily. “We will need time to make sure the celebrations are appropriate of the occasion.”

Thankfully, Hyunjin hadn’t put up any argument; rather, he was eager to move into the palace and get an opportunity to become familiar with Seungmin. The prince himself had been less than enthused about the idea, but when his father later reminded him that there would be no changing of Hyunjin’s wish after the two of them were married, Seungmin was suddenly grateful for the extra time.

Hyunjin had already seemed starry-eyed when he entered the palace, watching in awe as the guards opened doors for him and attendants took his things. However, the look on his face when Seungmin approached was even more amazed, his dark eyes nearly twinking from how wide they were stretched. Seungmin wasn’t particularly dressed in a spectacular garb— a bit nicer version of his usual attire— but Hyunjin seemed amazed nonetheless.

“Your Highness,” he said breathlessly, almost forgetting to bow to Seungmin in his shock. When he straightened up, he continued to stare at Seungmin, almost as if he couldn’t believe that the prince was truly in front of him. “It’s amazing to finally meet you.”

Seungmin gave a tight-lipped smile in return, tipping his head respectfully for Hyunjin. “Hyunjin,” he responded, the many years of royal training he had received coming back to him as if on autopilot. “Welcome to the palace.”

🜲🜲🜲

Seungmin swallowed nervously as he stood by the doors that would lead him to the palace courtyard, where Hyunjin and himself would make their first appearance since Hyunjin moved into the palace. It had been two weeks— two weeks of lesson after lesson, of awkward dinners and cups of tea, walks through the palace grounds while trying to find a bit of common ground between themselves. It was hard, and it was rushed, and even more than Hyunjin, Seungmin wasn’t sure if he himself was ready.

It hadn’t necessarily been hard to talk to Hyunjin these past two weeks. Beneath all of the roughness of Hyunjin’s upbringing, the man was charming. He was passionate, too, and kind, the type to wear his heart on his sleeve. His wonder when looking at Seungmin was genuine, and Seungmin had seen it time and time again through the past two weeks. He was driven, pushing himself to learn all of the royal family norms, taking each correction that people gave him and trying to fix himself.

But the problem with Hyunjin, the thing that worried Seungmin the most, is that Hyunjin didn’t  _ understand _ . These things were important to tradition, to Seungmin and his family, and Hyunjin tried to follow them, but he didn’t understand why they mattered. He asked questions that Seungmin didn’t have answers to,  _ why do we have to wear these robes, why aren’t we allowed to do this _ ? He didn’t understand that things were important for the sake of it, and Seungmin knew that it would hurt him in the end.

Now, though, when Hyunjin appeared next to Seungmin, dressed head to toe in royal attire, Seungmin’s worries disappeared. Because Hyunjin looked every bit like the prince consort he needed to be, elegant and poised and beautiful. But then Hyunjin smiled, the same childlike grin he had given Seungmin so many times over the past two weeks, and there was the blacksmith’s son that Seungmin knew so well.

“Your Highness, are you ready?” Woojin asked from Seungmin’s other side, and he hesitated before turning away from Hyunjin. When he looked, Woojin was giving him a smile that was just on the edge of knowing. Seungmin cleared his throat when he felt like his face might be flushing, turning to look at the door.

“Yes,” he said smoothly, feeling Hyunjin step just a bit closer to him. It was probably too close for the public to approve of, but Seungmin couldn’t find the energy to correct him. “We’re ready.”

The doors seemed to open in slow motion, the heavy wood and metal slowly letting in the sun. Next to him, Seungmin heard Hyunjin take a deep breath, letting it out in a shuddering, nervous sigh. He wanted to speak up to assure Hyunjin—  _ remember what you learned and you will be fine _ — but the doors were open now, and Seungmin and Hyunjin were stepping out of the palace, down the steps into the courtyard.

Immediately, Seungmin could tell that the reaction to him was different from when he had stepped out to view the tournament two weeks ago. There was less enthusiasm, and Seungmin knew that it had to do with Hyunjin at his side. He wanted to see how Hyunjin was taking things, but the other man was too tall for Seungmin to be able to see his face out of the corner of his eye. So the prince continued forward, making his way to the centre of the courtyard.

Seungmin may have not been able to see Hyunjin’s face, but he saw each movement his partner made out of the corner of his eye. Which means he saw when Hyunjin stumbled, his perfect posture falling as he caught himself. He saw the stumble, which meant that everyone watching them saw him stumble, and the murmur that rippled through the crowds afterwards let the prince knew that they weren’t pleased.

There wasn’t anything Seungmin could do now, though. He just waited for Hyunjin to right himself, paused, then continued, Hyunjin at his side. He could feel the shame and the anxiety rolling off of Hyunjin in waves next to him, and it took every ounce of Seungmin’s training and willpower to keep himself from looking at Hyunjin before they returned inside the palace.

Hyunjin, to his credit, kept it together. He kept it together even once they got inside, when the doors were closed and Seungmin was able to ask him if he was okay. Hyunjin pasted on a smile, tight-lipped, giving Seungmin a nod, but he didn’t meet Seungmin’s eyes. The shame was there, Seungmin knew, but up until their attendants brought them to their own separate quarters to get changed, Hyunjin pasted on a smile.

🜲🜲🜲

(Later, if Seungmin passed by Hyunjin’s quarters and heard soft sobs and gasps coming from inside, he didn’t say anything. The month was halfway through, and Hyunjin needed to learn how hard things would be, one way or another.)

🜲🜲🜲

The cool of autumn that always followed Seungmin’s birthday was beginning to grow even colder, and the leaves were beginning to fall from the trees. As Seungmin looked out into the palace courtyard, he realized that not only was winter coming— the month that his father had allowed Hyunjin was almost over.

Unfortunately for Seungmin, Hyunjin hadn’t changed his wish. In fact, he seemed to be growing more and more eager as the wedding approached. He wanted to know all the details, talked to the staff like a gossipping young girl to try to find out what was planned. Truthfully, not much had been planned— Seungmin’s parents were still banking on Hyunjin to back out. As he hadn’t, though, the pressure had been shifted to Seungmin, his parents urging him to get Hyunjin to change his mind. So one evening, when the two of them were sharing tea in Hyunjin’s living quarters— Hyunjin more noisily than Seungmin, but still much more graceful and unobtrusive than he had been before— Seungmin started asking questions.

“Hyunjin,” he began quietly, trying to keep his voice level. Across the table, Hyunjin looked up at him eagerly— it wasn’t that often that Seungmin initiated conversation— but the prince avoided his eyes. “Why did you want to marry me?”

Hyunjin hummed, setting down his cup. “Who wouldn’t want to marry a prince?” he replied simply, reaching out to take one of the small cakes that had been brought for them to share. He let out an approving noise as he ate, nodding at the flavour.

Seungmin tried not to let his frustration show on his face at Hyunjin’s blasé response, picking up his cup of tea gracefully. “Is that the only reason?” he asked, clearly leading Hyunjin. “Because I’m a prince?”

Hyunjin seemed to hesitate at that, giving Seungmin a curious look that the prince actively avoided. Maybe the other boy was more perceptive than Seungmin had initially given credit for. “Well, not just that,” he said, leaning back onto a hand. He shrugged, giving Seungmin an appraising look. 

“I’ve always had a crush on you,” he admitted honestly, and Seungmin knew his shock showed on his face at Hyunjin’s words. “I wanted to talk to you at least, to get to know you, but I didn’t think I’d have the chance. I tried my shot in the tournament without thinking that I’d win, but…” 

Hyunjin shrugged, sitting up straight again. The way he was looking at Seungmin was so honest and open that Seungmin felt himself blush. “Now I’m here,” Hyunjin finished, smiling slightly. “So I guess things worked out.”

Seungmin looked away from Hyunjin’s smile, pushing away the tingling, flustered feelings that Hyunjin had given him. Beneath that, the more he thought about Hyunjin’s words, he felt himself growing frustrated. To Seungmin, still, it all just seemed selfish. 

Seungmin let out a contemplative noise, taking a cake for himself. “It seems like a bit of a superficial reason,” he commented carefully, looking carefully at Hyunjin’s expression out of the corner of his eye. “Are you sure you’ll be happy here?”

Hyunjin blinked, his expression hardening for just a second. “I  _ am _ happy here,” he said firmly, frustration beginning to bleed into his voice. “Are you not happy?”

“I’m not unhappy,” Seungmin responded truthfully. “I just didn’t think my life would turn out like this, is all. I thought I would marry a prince—”

“So you aren’t happy to be marrying a commoner?” Hyunjin interjected, and Seungmin flinched. No one had ever interrupted him before, and it irritated Seungmin in a way he hadn’t felt before. He bristled beneath his robes, sitting up ramrod straight.

“Do  _ not _ interrupt me,” he said harshly, and Hyunjin’s expression soured. The status card wasn’t something Seungmin made a habit of pulling out, but this time a line was crossed. He’d let Hyunjin get away with a lot up until this point, but now, Seungmin’s patience had run out. “You may be arranged to marry me, but I am the prince between us. Remember your place.”

Hyunjin scoffed, leaning forward against the table angrily. “So it is because I’m a commoner,” he shot back, and Seungmin couldn’t bring himself to deny it. “So you’re mad because you aren’t marrying a prince or princess? Because I’m not good enough for you?”

“Oh my God,” Seungmin finally snapped, frustration flooding his voice. Screw the princely image, screw the filial piety. There was no one around other than him and Hyunjin anyways, so it’s not like anyone would see. “Can you think about someone other than yourself, just once? Not everything is about you.”

Hyunjin shook his head in shock, putting a hand on his head. “Who is it about then?” he nearly shouted. “If our marriage is not about you and I, then who is it about?”

“It’s about the  _ kingdom _ ,” Seungmin stressed, leaning into the table. “Don’t you understand that? When you’re royalty, nothing is just about you. Everything is about the kingdom. Because we’re getting married, our kingdom can’t marry for power. We can’t grow our kingdom because you’re here.”

“Everything about the kingdom!” Hyunjin argued, standing up suddenly, his robes falling down around him. “It’s always about the kingdom. What about yourself? Don’t you want anything for yourself?”

Seungmin huffed, standing up himself. “This is why I knew this was a bad idea,” he said bitterly. “You don’t understand. You’re not from this world, Hyunjin. You don’t understand the responsibility. Why are you so desperate to be royalty when no one will think of you as anything but a commoner? Why would you ruin this kingdom, why would you ruin  _ my  _ kingdom for your own selfishness?”

Hyunjin took a deep breath, the anger clear on his face as he shouted, “Why are you so resigned to a life without love that you won’t even try to open up to me?”

Seungmin froze at Hyunjin’s words, staring across the table at Hyunjin. The other man was breathing heavily, face flushed and staring at Seungmin angrily. It was the same intensity that he had stared Seungmin when he saw him for the first time in the arena, and the anxious clench of Seungmin’s heart drove the prince out of the room.

🜲🜲🜲

That night, Seungmin was woken up by the sound of an explosion. It was so loud and so terribly close that at first Seungmin believed it to be coming from inside his own room— but as he shot upright in bed, he realized it wasn’t within his room, it was coming from outside. Not far enough outside to be distant though, no; the sound was coming from within the castle walls _ .  _

He pulled himself out of bed, trying to right his robes hastily. Seungmin moved to the door of his room, listening to see what was going on outside. Quickly, the sounds of commotion began to rise— the yelling of men, the clatter of armoured legs running down the hall, Chan’s voice booming across all of them, announcing, “The castle is under attack!”

Seungmin backed away from the door then frantically, eyes scanning his room for something to protect himself on instinct. There wasn’t much— the bedroom of Seungmin’s living quarters didn’t consist of much more than a bed, most of the items having been placed outside in the main room. He considered hefting the pot that was in the corner of his room, boasting several thick stalks of bamboo, but before he could move much further past the initial thought, the doors to his sleeping quarters was flying open and Seungmin was startling back.

Thankfully, the figure bursting into his room wasn’t an intruder, or someone out for his blood— it was Woojin, disheveled and clothed in his sleep robes himself, hurrying towards Seungmin with worry painted all over his face. It was a combination of several unusual sights, and it did very little to calm Seungmin down when Woojin wrapped an arm around him hurriedly, pulling him towards the servant’s entrance, tucked in the back corner of the room and entirely unsuspecting for normal passerby.

“Woojin,” Seungmin gasped once his attendant had already tugged him through the doorway; he’d held his breath in shock when Woojin had barged in and it took longer than he expected to pull himself back together. He sent a quick glance behind them to the door they had just entered from as Woojin continued to pull him down the dark corridor. Thankfully, it seemed that they weren’t being followed. “Woojin, what’s happening? What’s going on?”

“The castle is under siege,” Woojin replied hurriedly, his voice still rough from sleep. His eyes were trained ahead of them, focused solely on where they were going. “We suspect that another kingdom heard what had happened with Hyunjin and decided to invade in hopes of capturing us during a weak moment.” Woojin paused then, jaw tight as he glanced at Seungmin before adding, “The entire kingdom is being attacked.”

It felt as if Seungmin had just been kicked by Woojin’s words, the prince stumbling over his own feet as Woojin carted them down the branching corridors. Thankfully, his attendant’s grip was strong, and he hardly needed to pause in order to get Seungmin back on his feet and continuing down the hall. The prince’s eyes were wide, but he couldn’t take in anything he was seeing— the only thing he could focus on was Woojin’s words, echoing in his mind.

“Under attack?” he finally managed to say, voice shaking. Seungmin gripped Woojin in return, his fist crinkling the delicate material of his attendant’s robes. He didn’t care about how unroyal he seemed for his actions, the shock of his peaceful kingdom being invaded outweighing his training. “Our kingdom is under attack?”

Woojin nodded stiffly, turning sharpy and tugging Seungmin down another hall. To Seungmin’s left, he could distantly hear the sounds of fighting, the shouts of men and the clanging of metal meeting metal letting Seungmin know that the battle was not too far away. The metallic noises brought an image back to him— a wiry boy with thick black hair swinging a sword much too heavy for him— and Seungmin froze in his tracks.

“Hyunjin,” Seungmin breathed, his chest suddenly much too tight for any sound to come out. It felt as if someone had wrapped their hands around Seungmin’s throat, despite there being no one other than the prince and Woojin in the hall. “Where is Hyunjin?”

“Another attendant went to retrieve him,” Woojin assuaged hastily, trying to tug at Seungmin to get him moving again, but the prince’s feet were like stone, weighted down to the ground and keeping him in place. “They should be joining us in hiding soon, so please hurry, Your Highness.”

“Who went to get him?” Seungmin asked frantically, as Woojin eventually managed to pull him from his spot. He struggled against the hold of his attendant, hampering their progress down the corridor. The noises of fighting to Seungmin’s left only grew louder. “When did they leave? Did they find him?” 

“An attendant of your father’s named Changbin,” Woojin replied, and reluctantly, Seungmin began to move again. “He left when I did, so he must have reached him by now. But if we want to live to meet them, then we must  _ hurry _ !”

Seungmin listened at that, hurrying down the hall with Woojin. Never had he heard Woojin raise his voice, the attendant always keeping an even tone even in the most stressful of situations— that was how Seungmin knew things were serious. They rushed down the corridor together, Woojin tugging Seungmin left and right, until they reached a guarded door in a secluded passage, several knights poised outside with their weapons readied. When Seungmin and Woojin were carted inside, he found his parents, Jisung, a few other important royal officials… But no Hyunjin.

Seungmin’s mother was by her son’s side instantly, fluttering about him like a bird and asking all sorts of questions to ensure that her child was well. But Seungmin didn’t hear anything she was saying, nor anything else for that matter; all that his mind could pay attention to was that Hyunjin was not there, and Seungmin had no idea if he was safe.

“Where is Hyunjin?” he asked, speaking out of turn and over his mother, who cut off abruptly. He looked around the room, finding his father watching him with worried eyes. “Has Changbin come back yet?” he asked his father directly, voice imploring an honest answer.

“He hasn’t,” his father replied after a moment, and Seungmin immediately turned to look at the door. “Changbin has probably retrieved Hyunjin, though, and they’re likely on their way here.” There was a pause, heavy and weighted, and Seungmin could almost feel his father’s gaze on the back of his head as the king added, “I thought you didn’t care for him.”

Seungmin wanted to say that no, he didn’t care, but the words couldn’t find their way out of his mouth because they weren’t true. Seungmin did care. He was fond of Hyunjin, with all his rough edges and earnest charms, and he’d hate for anything terrible to befall him. Immediately, he was swept by a wave of regret for all of the vitriol he had spouted at Hyunjin earlier, of the other boy being selfish and unworthy. Hyunjin was worthy, he had proven it in the tournament and proven it with every ounce of effort that he had put in over the past month, and maybe Seungmin didn’t love him but spending the rest of his life with someone like Hyunjin couldn’t possibly be so terrible.

Seungmin didn’t have time to process that thought, though, because Changbin appeared through the doorway, chest heaving and sweat dripping down his forehead. The king called the attendant’s name just as Seungmin demanded, “Where is Hyunjin?”

“I found him,” Changbin panted, leaning against a wall as he tried to catch his breath. His robes were damaged from running, long sleeves falling off his shoulders and fabric crinkled along the places that he must have grabbed while running. “But he insisted on fighting to protect the castle. I tried to stop him, to tell him that he could leave it to the royal guard, but—”

Seungmin didn’t hear the rest of Changbin’s story. Before he had even had time to process what his body was doing, the prince was running, throwing himself out the door of the hidden room and bolting past the startled guards. Trust Hyunjin to be overwhelmed by his need to prove himself that he risked his life. Trust Hyunjin to become involved in a battle that was hardly his in order to seek justice. Trust Hyunjin to have Seungmin making the most ill-advised, life-threatening decision of his life just to make sure that Hyunjin could continue to live happily— or live at all.

He followed the sounds of fighting he had heard earlier, straining his ears to track the sound over the clamour of guards and attendants following behind him. Seungmin knew he should turn back, knew he should return to safety to wait the battle out, but he couldn’t return to wait there without knowing whether or not Hyunjin was alive.

Seungmin reached the door closest to the sound, stopping just before his body slammed up against it. He didn’t think it wise to throw the door open when the sounds of the battle were so near outside of it— but the prince opened it just a crack, enough for him to peer through at the chaos occurring outside. 

It took Seungmin a while to spot him through the mass of moving bodies, distracted by the sparks flying off each side’s weapons every time metal scraped against metal. But sure enough, there Hyunjin was, dressed in common clothes for sleep and with the same heavy sword and shield that he had carried for the tournament in his hands. His betrothed wasn’t shying away from the danger, either— he was on the frontline, armourless and untrained, yet he swung his sword with confidence, slashing at his enemies without hesitation. Despite his sleep-ruffled state and common clothes, this was Hyunjin in his element, the Hyunjin that Seungmin had grown to respect— the Hyunjin that Seungmin could fall in love with.

And yet, no glory would last forever. For as soon as Seungmin thought that, the hands of guards and attendants landed on him, and an invader landed a hit on Hyunjin. Seungmin gasped as he saw Hyunjin bleed, staggering backwards— but he didn’t even get to scream, Woojin’s broad palm closing over his mouth in order to not give them away to the intruders. And then, as quickly as Seungmin had found Hyunjin, he was wrenched away again, his sobs muffled into Woojin’s palm as the image of Hyunjin being struck replayed on a cursed loop in his mind.

🜲🜲🜲

It felt like years in that room, waiting for the battle to end. Seungmin couldn’t keep track of the time at all, every hour blurring into another. It could have been minutes, it could have been days, but all Seungmin could think of was Hyunjin.

He’d cried at first, sobbed and yelled and clung to anything he could get a hold of. He’d cursed everyone and everything, cursed Woojin for pulling him away, cursed the invaders for hurting him, cursed his father for suggesting that Hyunjin stay here, cursed Hyunjin himself for wanting to marry him. But then, once his energy had run out and Seungmin could no longer find it in himself to cry any longer, the prince had sat. He couldn’t bring himself to eat or drink anything, couldn’t bring himself to try and sleep as the horrible memory just played itself on the back of Seungmin’s eyelids whenever he closed his eyes. So the prince sat, broad-shouldered body pressed into a corner of the room, and he waited.

After what seemed like forever, the door finally opened, and Seungmin startled so violently that his shoulders scraped painfully at the wall. There, in the doorway, was Chan, bloodied and battered but alive, and he was smiling a pained smile at everyone else in the room.

“The intruders have been defeated,” he announced, voice tired yet full of pride. “The castle is safe.”

Immediately the room was swathed in commotion, attendants hurrying to ready the people of importance as they flocked towards Chan. Jisung was the first one to stand in front of the knight, and Seungmin watched numbly as his cousin extended his hand, Chan’s sliding into his and gripping it tightly.

“What of the kingdom?” his father asked as he approached Chan, already trying to appraise the damage. “How many casualties?”

Chan winced slightly at the king’s words, and Seungmin’s heart sank. “A few,” the knight said eventually, his voice carefully devoid of emotion though Seungmin could tell he was hurting inside. The head of the guard had always been soft-hearted deep down, a captain that truly cared for his crew. “I will be contacting their families personally once we’ve finished identifying those who we’ve lost.”

Chan looked over to him then, and Seungmin’s heart sank. His worst fears seemed to be true— Hyunjin had died in the battle, and Seungmin would now have to hear the confirmation first hand. But to his surprise, Chan began to smile. “The blacksmith’s son fought exceptionally well,” he told Seungmin, calling across the room to where the prince was still crouched in the corner. “You should be proud to soon call him your husband. He would make a fine knight if he weren’t about to marry you.”

Seungmin stared at Chan for a few moments, the words not quite registering. “Wait,” he said after a minute, once things had sunk in. He stood up from the corner, taking a step towards Chan. “Hyunjin isn’t dead?”

“No, no, he’s not dead,” Chan assured, as if Seungmin was strange to even consider the thought. “Injured, yes, but most definitely not dead. He’s resting in the palace doctor’s quarters until he’s well enough to move to his own quarters.” 

Despite the exhaustion that Seungmin felt seeping into his every bone, the soreness from sitting on the floor for so long, the young prince took off running again, this time without anyone trying to stop him. In his hazy mind, there was only one thought: to see Hyunjin with his own eyes, in order to make sure he was alright. Nothing else mattered; the only thing Seungmin needed was to see Hyunjin.

The doctor’s quarters were crowded, the many wounded from the battle all gathered in one space. It was noisy and chaotic, but Seungmin’s mind was on a single track, so he pushed through the crowds, eyes frantically searching for a wiry boy in common clothes with thick, black hair. People bumped against him, concerned soldiers shouted for him, blood stained his robes— yet Seungmin didn’t care. For there, towards the back of the room, pale and bandaged from neck to waist on a bed, was Hyunjin. Injured, and exhausted, but very much alive.

His name was falling from Seungmin’s lips before the prince even realized he had made a sound, and when Seungmin finally looked over at him, everything that was unsettled and tumultuous in Seungmin’s mind seemed to click right back into its place. As Hyunjin let out a shocked gasp of his name in return, Seungmin approached the bed, dropping heavily to sit on the edge of it.

As if on instinct, Hyunjin took his hand, and Seungmin only gripped it tightly in return.

“You’re safe,” is the first thing that Hyunjin said, followed by a heaving sigh, his eyelids fluttering. The tension bled out of his body, his shoulders sinking further into the bed. “Oh, I’m so thankful, you’re safe.”

“I’m safe,” Seungmin assured, smoothing his thumb over the back of Hyunjin’s hand. Hyunjin squeezed it slightly in return, looking at Seungmin with the same awe that he had when he first arrived to the palace. “I’m safe, don’t worry. And you, you’re…”

“I’m fine,” Hyunjin assured when Seungmin trailed off, nodding his head slightly. “My wounds should heal within several weeks. I’ll be back to normal by spring.”

Seungmin nodded, the rest of the panic seeping out of him. “You’re fine,” he echoed, reminding himself to believe it. “You’re fine.”

Hyunjin smiled at him in response, adjusting his grip on Seungmin’s hand to tangle their fingers together. “I’m fine,” he murmured gently, looking up at Seungmin adoringly. “We’re both fine.”

Seungmin felt his heart squeeze. Hyunjin was so generous with his affection, even after all the harsh Seungmin had fired at him— even now, wounded and confined to a hospital bed. The strange commoner Seungmin had met one month ago had wormed his way into the prince’s heart, and now Seungmin couldn’t imagine a world without him.

“I’m sorry,” Seungmin admitted, turning to gingerly rest his free hand on Hyunjin’s bandaged chest. Hyunjin didn’t flinch— Seungmin supposed he must have gotten lucky and touched a spot free of wounds. “For what I said before, about you being selfish. None of it was true. You’ve… You’ve proven your worth for the kingdom. You put your life on the line to protect this kingdom, and...” He swallowed, feeling a lump in his throat. 

“You belong here, Hyunjin,” Seungmin added softly. “You belong in the palace with me.”

To Seungmin’s shock, Hyunjin let out a scoff, his lips pulled into a grin. He let go of Seungmin suddenly, and the prince let out a worried gasp when Hyunjin propped himself up on an elbow. “Do you think I did this for the kingdom?” he asked simply, his face far nearer to Seungmin’s than it had ever been before, and Seungmin blinked.

“Yes,” the prince replied uncertainly. “What else would you have done it for?”

Hyunjin’s smile softened, and he leaned closer, his lips just brushing Seungmin’s. “My prince,” he whispered, and Seungmin’s eyes fluttered shut as Hyunjin closed the distance between them. “I did it for love.”

**Author's Note:**

> thank you to m for allowing me to spit this entire plot out into your dms a day after i received this prompt. thank you to the kids for always hyping my writing up even when i felt like shit. thank you to k, n and j for letting me take over the living room until 3am to work on this fic and for letting me talk y'all's ears off about it. thank you to the lovely prompter for making such an interesting prompt that i was able to do so much with. thank you to the mod team for running such an awesome fic fest. but most of all, thank you for reading!
> 
> now that this is revealed, you can find me on twitter [here!](https://www.twitter.com/nappeuns_)


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